Un-natural selection

(Via CJR's Campaign Desk)

This past Sunday The New York Times revealed another questionable insurance company practice—denying women insurance if they’ve had a previous Caesarean section. C-sections now fall into the bucket of pre-existing conditions that insurers will either deny coverage for or charge a much higher premium for. The Times told the story of a Colorado woman named Peggy Robertson whose application for coverage from Golden Rule Insurance was denied. Robertson, who says she’s in perfect health, told the Times that Golden Rule, notorious for cherry picking only the healthiest people, said it might have insured her if she were over forty, had given birth two or more years before applying, or had been sterilized. What a deal!

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All this is significant because it foretells what Americans will be up against with health reform. Unless there is strict regulation of these kinds of insurance company practices, companies will be able to pick and choose who gets the magic ticket to health care.

Exactly. The competition for the healthy people started a long time ago (probably with the creation of insurance itself). But anyone who thinks that just getting coverage to people doesn't understand the endless legal possibilities that exist for screwing people.

Coverage of any kind is just a starting point. Quality coverage and eligibility are prime areas for reform.